It’s been more than 3.5 months since NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft dropped a precious sample of asteroid dust, and scientists have finally managed to remove the lid of the sample container. Now the team can finally complete the steps needed to dismantle the Touch and Go Sample Collection Mechanism (TAGSAM) container and access the rocks and dirt collected from asteroid Bennu. Once the sample is collected, it can be divided and distributed to scientific groups around the world.

“Finally opening the TAGSAM head and fully accessing the returned Bennu samples is a monumental achievement that reflects the unwavering dedication and creativity of our team,” said astronomer Dante Lauretta of the University of Arizona Lunar Planetary Laboratory.

“This achievement reaffirms the importance of OSIRIS-REx and our commitment to advancing our understanding of space. We look forward to the next chapter as we share these valuable samples with the global science community and continue our journey of discovery.”

OSIRIS-REx flew past Earth on September 24, leaving TAGSAM after an epic mission lasting more than 7 years. The capsule was parachuted into the Utah desert, where it was quickly recovered and immediately transported to a clean facility that would be opened with minimal terrestrial contamination.

Although the outer capsule opened fairly easily, allowing scientists to access 70 grams of asteroid dust, TAGSAM’s main coil, which contained most of the sample, remained tightly sealed despite the team’s best efforts. The container is closed with 35 fasteners; two of these remained resistant to instruments approved for use in the sterile glove box where opening would occur.

To solve this problem, the team had to develop new tools. They developed two new multi-component tools that underwent extensive testing and rehearsals before eventually being used on a real TAGSAM head in the glovebox.

Some more disassembly is required before the entire sample can be imaged, removed and measured, but at least the main hurdle of these two mounts has been eliminated. Now science can continue.

“In addition to the design challenges of limiting the materials allowed to preserve the scientific value of an asteroid sample, these new devices must also operate in tight glovebox space, limiting their height, weight, and ability to arc motion,” he says at NASA’s Johnson Space Flight Center. OSIRIS-REx curator is oil expert Nicole Lanning.

“The curator team showed impressive resilience and did an incredible job removing these stubborn parts from the TAGSAM head so we could continue the disassembly process. We are extremely happy with the success.”

Now we can finally see the largest amount of asteroid debris ever successfully collected and delivered to Earth by a human mission. OSIRIS-REx, now renamed OSIRIS-APEX, is currently on its way to another asteroid, the potentially dangerous Apophis object. This meeting should take place in 2029.